| HOME > News Release > 2002 |
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| October 22, 2002 |
NEC Corporation
Fusion Communications Corp.
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NEC and Fusion to Launch IP Telephone Service for Individual Customers
Will Allow Calls to be Initiated or Received via Fixed-line Telephones Using "050" Number
NEC Corporation and Fusion Communications Corporation recently formed a partnership
to provide IP telephone service via the BIGLOBE Internet service. The companies will commence the new
service, known as FUSION IP-Phone for BIGLOBE, on February 1, 2003. Before becoming available to the
general public, the service will be offered on a trial basis to 10,000 monitors from December 2, 2002
to January 31, 2003.
The new service, provided by means of the FUSION IP-Phone service, will be targeted
at users of the unlimited-use ADSLe package (e-Access ADSL connection service) provided by BIGLOBE.
Through the use of specialized adapters with built-in ADSL modems, it will be possible to access the
new service via conventional fixed-line telephones.
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The main features of FUSION IP-Phone for BIGLOBE are as follows. |
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1. |
Available via conventional fixed-line telephones
Through the use of specialized adapters with built-in ADSL modems, it
will be possible to access this service via conventional fixed-line telephones; no computer is
required.
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Customers get dedicated "050" IP telephone numbers
By acquiring a "050" number (allocated by the Ministry of Public
Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications for IP telephony), users will be able
to both initiate and receive calls via a dedicated IP telephone number beginning with that prefix.
Furthermore, in the future, it will be possible to use "050" numbers to initiate and
receive calls using conventional phones (non-IP telephones).
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Users pay no calling charges
Users of this service will pay no calling charges. Furthermore, charges
for calls to non-IP telephone users that are not subscribers of this service will be charged
at the low, uniform nationwide rate of 8 yen per three minutes.
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In recent years, the increased prevalence of ADSL and other broadband Internet
connection environments has fueled growth in demand for high-quality Internet-based communication services
such as IP telephony. In this environment, the MPHPT has begun allotting dedicated IP telephone numbers
to providers capable of offering a certain level of connection quality.
Through the new service, Fusion IP-Phone for BIGLOBE, NEC and Fusion seek to
address the market's needs by making it easy for customers to access IP telephony via regular fixed-line
telephones by acquiring "050" numbers.
Under the partnership with BIGLOBE, Fusion plans to offer Fusion IP-Phone service
to an even wider range of ISPs and cable TV providers, creating an environment that will make it possible
for even different ISPs and cable providers to eliminate call charges.
BIGLOBE plans to expand its IP telephone service to ADSL package customers of
other DSL providers, and expects to sign up about 1 million users by the end of fiscal 2003. BIGLOBE
plans to further expand its communication services for broadband environments.
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